the baby's heartbeat :)

I wanted to add this a long time ago, but my pregnancy brain forgot about it.  I found it the other day and thought I'd share it.  This is Baby Hammar's heartbeat at 17 weeks.  It was beating at about 150 beats per minute.  The heartbeat sound starts at about 10 seconds in and sounds like fast, little waves.  It's so incredible to me that the small Doppler machine can capture that.  I can't wait to hear it again in a week!

twenty-seven weeks.

Date/How Far Along: May 28, 2013 = 27 weeks and 3 days.  I hope you all had a fabulous long Memorial Day Weekend!  John and I got a good number of tasks crossed off our to-do lists!
 

Size of baby: Romaine Lettuce
 

Sleep: I have some good nights and some really bad nights, but have gotten more good nights than bad at least.  One night last week I was able to sleep until 5:30 before I had to pee, but another night I was up every two hours until I finially decided to get up at 6:15am.  I've noticed too that once I wake up it is sometimes harder for me to go to sleep because either my thoughts are running wild or the baby decides it's time to jazzerise in my uterus and he completely wakes me up.  I would assume it will only get rougher from here trying to navigate around an ever-growing belly.

 

Total Weight Gain:  No idea.  Midwife appointment in a week and a half.
 

Symptoms:  I have felt great the past week besides the sleep issue, hence being tired.  I think I have my leg cramps under control.  I haven't had any weird cravings and overall I haven't felt too achy. 
 

Movement:  So much and it's so wonderful, even at 3am when it makes me unable to fall back to sleep.  John likes to asks it the baby has been moving around during the day.  I love that he's interested.
 

Maternity Clothes:  Yup.  I can still fit into my old t-shirts, but some of them are starting to pop out at the bottom because of my bump.  I've found some great maternity clothes steals, but it still seems like so much money for clothes I might wear a few months.  Hopefully most of the items will work for my next pregnancy and I will be able to pass them along to other pregnant family or friends when I'm done with them.  I did break down and buy a few dresses online that will hopefully come on Friday/Saturday.  I bought them from Old Navy.  The only dress I've found so far is one from H&M.  I wore it to our first baby shower on Saturday (Click here to see a photo.)  It was only $12.95 and very comfortable! 
 

Go-to eats:  Meat, but then vegetarian.  Salads again.  Light, summer foods. 
 

Best moment/s of the week:  Our first baby shower.  I got to see so many friends from out of town and other family and friends came.  It was so wonderful!  I felt so loved and was so humbled by how loved the baby already is.  He got a lot of great books and baby essentials.  It was even more fun after I brought the gifts home because John was excited to see what we got and helpful with putting them away.  Yesterday was a great day for John and I and baby too.  We went to Target for hopefully our last registry trip.  I've been managing them online, but it's nice to actually be in the store to scan items.  We made some big item decisions and feel good about what we've got on there.  We also stopped at TJMaxx and I think John had just as much fun looking as I did.  He picked this out and I picked this out :) I also got to walk with another pregnant friend yesterday morning.
 

Hardest moment/s of the week:  The weather has been rainy and crummy, but honestly it has been a great week!
 

Gender:  The baby is a Mr. 

What I wish people knew:  I've been hard on people here lately, but I didn't necessarily mean it as harshly as it may have came across.  I want people to know that I'm thankful for them, thankful when they offer help or a kind word, when they bring gifts for the baby or just ask me how I'm doing.  I'm thankful for listening ears and the vulnerability that comes when others share their journeys of pregnancy and birth.  

What I’m looking forward to:  I get two lunch dates this week and another baby shower on Saturday.  I'm so excited to see all my ladies that have come home from college and other pursuits!   
 

Milestones:  You are now practicing inhaling and exhaling and have regular sleeping and waking cycles.
 

To check out my growing bump click here :)

the not-so-loved parts of pregnancy

This post should have a disclaimer.  I will address a few symptoms that aren't so pretty.  They don't embody the glow of pregnancy, but more of the hard parts that I've experienced so far.  Thanks for reading.

At yoga last Wednesday we talked at the beginning of class for more time than we usually do.  Blooma is such a wonderful, non-judgemental place where a lot of us make ourselves vulnerable.  I told the class about the baby's cysts a few weeks ago and got so much encouragement.  I have talked about how I have meltdowns because John did something as simple as take a nap.  It's a blessing to be surrounded by other pregnant mommas and not feel judged, but also feel like I am not going hormonally crazy.  It has been such a blessing to me since I've been going and I would recommend it to anyone living in the Twin Cities area.  As we were talking on Wednesday I just thought about how generally it is the only place I'll share the difficulties of pregnancy (besides with John, my mom, my sisters and a few friends).  I want this blog to be honest, so after some encouragement from my sweet youth group girls I decided to write a post about my "not-so-loved" parts of being pregnant.

1.  Riding an Hormonal Rollercoaster:  Poor, poor John.  He is the one that has to deal with the emotional rollercoaster that is his wife most of the time.  He is so good to me.  He lets me cry when I need to and is excited with me when I'm happy.  I think the hardest part of having raging emotions is that I don't feel like myself.  There are times that I'm crying about nothing, but can't control it.  I've actually had meltdowns over something little, calmed down, only to start up again.  It's a symptom John and I can laugh about after the fact, it's just not that funny when I feel like I have no control. 

2.  A Faulty Digestive System:  Gas.  Constipation.  Bloating.  Heartburn.  This might be TMI, but they are symptoms that I've heard SO many pregnant women experience. As a positive to this I have been able to get over my "peeing-in-public" phobia because if I have to go to the bathroom my pregnant body has to go.  No waiting.  There isn't really too much else to say about each of those things because they're pretty self-explanatory.  I haven't had too much heartburn, so that's a plus.  I guess my digestive system doesn't appreciate being squished by an ever-growing uterus or not having the help of my stomach muscles that are continually stretching and weakening. 

3.  Twenty Pound Weight Gain for a Two Pound Baby (Currently):  Yes I am growing a child, but why in the world have I gained twenty pounds for a child that weighs 2 lbs.  I have been told that for my body type/BMI I am supposed to gain 25-35 pounds total, one pound per week during the second trimester and 1/2 pound per week in the third trimester.  It was crazy to learn where all the extra weight has gone.  Here's break down from WebMD (http://www.webmd.com/baby/guide/healthy-weight-gain)

• Baby: 8 pounds
• Placenta: 2-3 pounds
• Amniotic fluid: 2-3 pounds
• Breast tissue: 2-3 pounds
• Blood supply: 4 pounds
• Stored fat for delivery and breastfeeding: 5-9 pounds
• Larger uterus: 2-5 pounds
• Total: 25-35 pounds

I'm just amazed where all it goes.  It makes sense that after delivery my body won't go back to normal right after birth.  Thankfully I've had friends tell me about that or I'd be expecting to look differently when I left the hospital.  I am thankful that looking pregnant has helped me be not quite as stressed about gaining weight.  The weight seems to be centralized in the front between my pelvis and neck, so as much as I like that look it also adds to to the next point.  


4.  Achy Breaky Body:  My poor body.  Growing a baby is hard work.  The leg cramps, the pinch in my back, the pain in my lower back, my feet, just being achy in general.  I think a lot of my aches and pains have to do with the fact that I've had a really hard time slowing down.  Allowing aches and pains is probably my body's way of saying I need to slow down.  The babe and I need to take breaks.  I'm working on it.

All of those parts of pregnancy aside I really enjoy being pregnant.  It is such a blessing and such a miracle.  I thank God for this babe everyday!  With every kick and movement I can't help but smile.  He is so loved and I cannot wait to meet him come August. 

twenty-six weeks.

Date/How Far Along: May 20, 2013 = 26 weeks and 2 days.

Size of baby: Head of Lettuce

Sleep: I did poorly at the goal of going to bed earlier and I also have started experiencing calf cramps in the night.  They are excruciating!  The one I had on Thursday night kept me up for an hour and is still sore today after icing it and stretching it out.  I've found that flexing my foot towards my knee helps when I feel it coming on, so the last couple nights haven't been as bad.  The joys of pregnancy :)  Here's another post from a mom about her experience with them: http://mymommymanual.com/28-weeks-pregnancy-calf-cramps-to-wake-the-dead/.  From everything I've read no one really knows what causes them for sure or how to fix them.  

Total Weight Gain:  I am no longer weighing myself at home (technically at work), only at my appointments.  I'll have an updated weight gain the first week of June.

Symptoms:  Calf cramps and exhaustion have been issues this week.  My body is so tired that I need to remind myself to slow down.  That is a really hard mindset for me to get into.  John has really tried to be helpful by making me sit down, but it is difficult when I feel there are projects and chores to get done.

Movement: He's still a crazy little mover.  I don't know if it'll every get old for me to feel.  I love this part of pregnancy so much. Two nights ago he was kicking/punching both sides of my stomach.  John and I were both talking to him.  There were a few that startled me because they were so strong.  I am amazed at how strong he already is and I'm sure the kicks will get harder as time goes by.  John loves feeling him and likes to talk to him.  The babe definitely knows his voice which just gives me warm fuzzys.  He's just as much in love with this babe as I am.

Maternity Clothes:  Mostly, not all today though.  Sometimes I still find an article of clothing that works ok with my belly bump.  My t-shirts still fit, but they are starting to poof out at the bottom.  I think I've settled on my dressy outfit for our first baby shower this coming Saturday, so I'm not as stressed about that.  I'll probably take next week's bump photo in that outfit because I think it's so cute :)  (I wrote a more detailed post about the maternity clothes I've loved so far here: http://emhammar.blogspot.com/2013/05/pregnancy-and-maternity-clothes.html)

Go-to eats:  Almonds.  Otherwise pretty much anything.

Best moment/s of the week: Celebrating my sister Erin's birthday on Friday night and spending time with Hannah and Ethan on Saturday.  I also got to spend time with Harper on Friday.  We had a picnic. Getting the rest of the baby's room painted!  We got our pool set up yesterday too.  We are ready for summer!

Hardest moment/s of the week:  The stinking leg cramps.  

Gender:  Little Hammar is a boy.

What I wish people knew: Sometimes thoughtless and even thoughtful comments can be hurtful.  My worries/stresses/joys/excitements about pregnancy are very real to me and I've had to learn who best validates those for me.  I hate being brushed off.  I've had some people say hurtful words, so I've since chosen not to share as much with them. 

What I’m looking forward to:  Our first baby shower on Saturday.  I have friends coming from out of town for it so I'm so excited to see them!

Milestones: You are soaking up my antibodies to prepare you for the outside world and you're also batting your new little eyelashes :)

To check out my growing bump click here :)

Pregnancy and Maternity Clothes

I have been striking out on finding a cute and flattering maternity dress, but wanting to look on the bright side I decided to share some of my favorite maternity pieces so far.  It's hard to try and gather information about maternity clothes, everyone's body is different and does pregnancy different and every manufacturer seems to be somewhat different.  I have also been trying to find other pregnant mommas who blog to get their take, but haven't found many posts.  Making the search even harder is the fact that most styles are offered online.  There is some availability in stores, but not a lot to choose from unless I want to spend $30 on a t-shirt, which is not going to happen.  In my wardrobe I currently have items from Old Navy Maternity, Thyme Maternity (Babies R Us), Target Maternity, Kohls Maternity and H&M Maternity.  I probably got half online and half in store.  I continue to go through the sale rack at Gap Maternity and Destination Maternity, but their items are spendy and I haven't been able to pull the trigger on anything.  I am still able to wear some of my pre-pregnancy clothing like yoga/workout clothes and t-shirts, but jeans are really out of the question.  I like my Belly Band, but it's not super comfortable.  Here are the pieces I have loved so far:

1.  Leggings:  My favorites are a pair I have from Old Navy.  I bought them in heather grey, but they are also available in black.  They do not have a belly panel.  They are low-riding, so they fit right under my belly bump.  As a size reference I am 5'4" and weighed 133 lbs when I found out I was pregnant.  I would've bought a medium pre-pregnancy, so that's what a bought and they're great.  They hit at my ankles, so I'm not swimming in them.  I paid $8; $10 on sale with a 20% coupon online.  Old Navy does carry a full panel pair of leggings as well.  The other pair I have are from H&M.  They have a full panel, so they cover my whole stomach.  They are also LONG, so they fit comfortably right up to the balls of my feet.  I either just wear them over my feet or fold them up.  I bought this pair in store and I'm pretty sure they were $12.95.

Leggings from Old Navy:  http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=94676&vid=1&pid=691581012
Leggings from H&M:  http://www.hm.com/us/product/96692?article=96692-A

2.  Jeans:  I've heard maternity jeans are SO hard to find for some women.  I got lucky and found a pair I was comfortable in at the first place John and I looked.  I got them at Babies R Us.  They have a new line of maternity wear called Thyme.  Our store doesn't have a huge selection, but enough for me to find a pair that fit well.  They are straight leg, dark wash, petite jeans.  They have a full panel in the front that they say can be folded down, but it's most comfortable when I wear it all the way up my bump.  I got them in a medium and I still have plenty of room to grow in them.  When I bought them they were on sale for $45, but Babies R Us was running a sale of buy one, get one 50% off.  I picked out another pair of pants, so they both ended up being about $30/pair.  Since it is getting warmer out I've started to just roll up the pants a little and wear them with my TOMS and that look seems to work too.

Jeans:  http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=19142676

3.  Shirts:  I have a bunch of maternity shirts from a bunch of different places.  I believe all of them are mediums.  I love them all because they show off the bump.  I did have a little trouble with a few from ON because they were HUGE even though they were the same size as the others.  I love the ones from Babies R Us because they are long on me, so I feel comfortable wearing them with just leggings.  The one long sleeve I have from Target fits everywhere, but the arms are short.  Not sure if it shrunk or if that's just the fit of the shirt.  I have a darling 3/4 sleeve t-shirt that John picked out and I really love that one too.  Kohls also has a small selection and my mom got me a cute t-shirt from there.  Here's a few that I have:

Tanks from ON:  http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=5801&vid=1&pid=855656432
Shirts from Babies R Us:  http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=19142526&cid=1203900
John's Pick (I have it in cool color tones):  http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=5807&vid=1&pid=334922012
Gift from Mom (I have it in a coral color):  http://www.kohls.com/product/prd-1296128/oh-baby-by-motherhood-striped-ruched-tee-maternity.jsp

I also love these yoga shorts I got from Old Navy:
http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=64306&vid=1&pid=373241002

I hope that was at least a little helpful if anyone is looking for some clothing advice.  Keep an eye on sales because they honestly have helped me save a bunch of money.  I didn't pay full price for any of the pieces I currently have.  I hope that soon I'll be able to add a few more summery items to my wardrobe as it is getting hotter and hotter here.  I'm still crossing my fingers for a dress as well.

twenty-five weeks.

Date/How Far Along: May 13, 2013 = 25 weeks and 2 days.
 

Size of baby: Cauliflower
 

Sleep: I have been sleeping well, although I've been very tired.  I'm still swearing by my pregnancy pillow :)  I plan to make a conscious effort to get to bed earlier this week. 

 

Total Weight Gain:  I slipped in right under 150 lbs at my last appointment, so I've gained about 16 pounds.  Just saying that amount makes my insides feel a little yucky, but I have to keep telling myself I'm doing such a beautiful task and gaining weight is a good thing.  I found this website that breaks down where the weight goes and that helped me.  Check it out here:  http://www.webmd.com/baby/guide/healthy-weight-gain
 

Symptoms:  I feel I've been a bit more emotional this week.  I really want tasks to get done around the house, especially now that it's nice outside.  John is such a great support for me.  He really does try everything he can to make me feel better.  He's our little protector too, asking me if I'm overdoing it or making me take breaks.  He's great.
 

Movement:  He is punching and kicking and flipping and squirming in there and I'm loving every minute.  There are times I can actually feel him kick/punch on both sides on my abdomen.  Last week, John and I were howling with Comet and the baby was kicking so much for John to feel.  It was so funny.  Who knows if he was scared or excited, but I'm sure when he comes out he'll know his big brother's noises.  On Saturday we had an Easter celebration with my side of the family and two of my sister's and my mom got to feel him move.  They were so excited, which just warms my heart.  At night though before even asking I held John's mom's hand to my belly.  He stopped moving around when I did that, but John was determined for her to feel it so he just got down to belly level and talked to him for five minutes so Sue could feel his kicks.  I couldn't tell if it was more special for me that John was talking to him or that Sue was so happy to feel him.  Ahhh!  This baby is so loved :)
 

Maternity Clothes:  Of course.  There's no turning back at this point.  My in-laws got me a gift card for Mother's Day for Kohls because they have maternity clothes.  It will definitely be put to good use.  I have two weeks to find a cute dress for my first baby shower.  I did try one on this week at Kohl's but it didn't look maternity it just looked like a fitted dress on the top and a flowing sack on the bottom.  Yuck.  Crossing my fingers I'll find something. 
 

Go-to eats:  I made the best Teriyaki Pork and Asian Slaw last week and it was so delicious!  I've been trying to be more adventurous because I don't want the baby to only eat our usual.  The menu plan for this week though is again pretty boring.  I have been craving almonds and sushi. 
 

Best moment/s of the week:  Having my family and John's mom feel the baby.  Having a wonderful first Mother's Day which included a walk with Comet, a free Twins game, sushi and DQ (and of course time with the best husband in the world).  Supper with a friend last Wednesday and enjoying family time on Saturday.  It was a fabulous week!
 

Hardest moment/s of the week:  Being emotional.  The high ups are great, but the breakdowns stink.  I feel bad for John, but I think he has a good understanding that they have a lot to do with feeling overwhelmed and hormonal.  Sorry sweetheart and thanks for being so great.
 

Gender:  The babe is a boy :)

What I wish people knew:  The acknowledgement of pregnancy difficulties has been a stress release for me.  When I give myself permission to talk about how the pregnancy has made me feel without fear of judgement I feel very healthy.  Talking about it honestly has also helped me to process through all the changes that have happened and the decisions that have to be made.  I'm continually realizing that being super mom includes being vulnerable. 

What I’m looking forward to:  Cherry Berry date with some of my youth group girls on Wednesday afternoon and a lunch date on Friday. 
 

Milestones:  You've developed a sense of equilibrium.  You can tell when you're right-side up and upside down. 
 

To check out my growing bump click here :)

Mother's Day

Today is my first Mother's Day.  The first one that isn't just about my mom, my grandmas, my mother-in-law, it's about me too.  I'm included in the group of women who call themselves mommas. I'm not 100% sure about how I should feel, but I know I have emotions surrounding the day just like any other first for me in life.  I just read a blog I follow and she brought another great point into the mix.  (Feel free to check it out)  It might be just a day to some people, but espcially this year it's significant to me. 

Today will be fun.  We get to go to a Twins game and sit in the party deck because John's job rented it out for today's game.  I will never complain about free food and a free Twins game.  John said if I'm up for it we could maybe go get sushi later too (Second indulgence, check out this blog post :)  If John wakes up sometime soon we might even take the dog for a walk around my favorite path.  I want to remember the day, soak it in and enjoy. 

There is more to today than fun and relaxation and special treatment.  I get to be a momma.  The thought just sends warm fuzzies to my heart and it makes me free SO blessed.  I send prayers up everyday thanking God for creating my body to do the incredible task of making a child (Shoutout to John for his help. Couldn't have done it without him :).  I feel so lucky to feel this babe kick and squirm in his little baby palace everyday.  I am so thankful that it only took us a few months to conceive.  My heart aches for couples who have tried and tried.  In a few months I'll get to experience labor and delivery and this little guy is my finish line.  I've gotten awards and medals before, but this prize is be the most incredible.  My motherly instinct is already in full force.  I am very defensive when people try to tell me what will work best for this or that.  He's mine (ours) and he is already so loved.  I will do my best as his momma.  I know I'll make mistakes, but I will apologize for them and try my best to do better in the future.  He is my little love bug and I cannot wait to meet him.

So I want to send a Happy Mother's Day out to all the mommas out there, from those who are pregnant to those who have taken up grandmother duty :)  I pray for those who are trying and hope to one day experience their first Mother's Day.  I know I'll be thankful for taking this little time to reflect on what a wonderful blessing it is to be someone's mom. 

My momma and me.  Christmas 2012.

twenty four weeks = six months!

Date/How Far Along: May 7, 2013 = 24 weeks and 3 days.

Size of baby: Canteloupe.

Sleep: No complaints about sleep.  I've been more tired, but that could be because it's gotten nice out and we've been walking a lot.

Total Weight Gain:  We have a midwife appointment on Friday so we'll see.  I might be close to 150.  Argh.  Today's little reading from one of my pregnancy phone apps said to keep telling myself, "I am not fat, I am growing a baby."  I think I'll have to write that down somewhere so I can look at it everyday.

Symptoms:  Random aches and pains.  There are muscles that I didn't even know I had that will hurt if I turn over in bed wrong or sit for too long in one position.  My hips/lower back have been tight too.  I guess they're just trying to support the weight in the front.

Movement:  He is a little mover in there!  John has felt him now so that's wonderful for me.  I don't know if he thinks being able to feel him is quite as exciting as I do, but I was glad he got to feel it.  Now if my family asks to feel I don't feel bad because John has already felt it.

Maternity Clothes:  There's been a weird little turn for me.  I didn't used to like wearing long-sleeve t-shirts that were fitted because I felt like I was fat and every roll was exposed (John and I have argued over it numerous times.), but now I've been wearing all my long-sleeve shirts.  I figure at least I'm getting good use out of them.  I now know there are a few baby showers planned, so I'm looking for a cute dress or two.  We'll see how that goes.

Go-to eats:  Toasted peanut butter and jelly.  Almonds.  Cheese.  This weekend I wanted Ruby Red Squirt so bad, but we couldn't find it anywhere.

Best moment/s of the week:  John and my sister Hannah did a great job finishing their trail race on Saturday.  It was freezing, but fun for me to watch.  (Finish Line Photo!) Painting two of the nursery walls and picking out the blue color we want for the other two walls.

Hardest moment/s of the week:  Just when I feel like I've settled into this pregnancy, into feeling strong at yoga and mentally sound my body changes.  My hips were getting more flexible and I was feeling like I had a pretty good sense of my changing balance, but last week I was so tight and felt like I was starting all over again.

Gender:  Baby Hammar is a little boy :)


What I wish people knew:  Google/the Internet can be an incredibly helpful, yet devastatingly painful and stress-inducing tool during pregnancy.  Use it wisely.  If a piece of information is startling, back up, take a deep breath and maybe come back to it later or disconnect for the day completely. 


What I’m looking forward to:  Supper with a friend tomorrow night.  A Latt get together on Saturday.  Mother's Day at the Twins Game.

Milestones:  You're gaining fat, so your little body is starting to fill itself out, making you look more like a miniature newborn.

To check out my growing bump click here :)